Loose leaf binder



3, 1935. P. o. UNGER LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. PA UL 0. U/VGEA fie {{TORNEY.

mm 3, 1935. P O UNGER 2,023,156

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed 001;. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. PAUL 0. UNGEI? A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES LOOSE LEAF BINDER Paul 0. Unger, Glen Ellyn, Ill., assignor to Wilson-Jones Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 23, 1933, Serial No. 694,755

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a loose leaf binder having a headed binding post and particularly to means for securing the top cover member to the binding members.

It is an object of this invention to provide means automatically actuated upon engagement of the binding members with the top cover member to lock the two together. It is a further object of this invention to provide means for preventing separation of said top cover member from the binding members when the binding members are held tightly against the contents of the binder. It is a further object of this invention to provide arigid binding post having a sheet holding portion of uniform cross sectional area that may be expanded and still maintain the uniform cross sectional area of the sheet holding portion. Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of my invention with parts broken away to facilitate illustration of the various structural features;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of i the top cover member showing the parts held in open position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the top clamping mechanism; and

Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure 1, illustrating another embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a lower cover member which includes a cover 2 and a tubular clamping member 3 hingedly connected thereto in any suitable manner. The opposite ends of the tubular clamping member 3 are closed by means of a pair of end caps 4 and 5. The end cap 5 is provided with an aperture 6 to allow access to one end 1 of a right and left hand threaded screw 8 which has a pair of nuts 9 threaded thereon. Each nut 9 has one end of a flexible binding member ill secured thereto. As shown in Figure l, the flexible binding member is preferably a conventional chain post such as that disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,883,253 granted October 18, 1932.

The free end of the flexible binding member H! is adapted to be protruded through an aperture H in the top wall of the tubular clamping member 3 by manipulation of the screw 8 to present a length of chain substantially equal to the height of the stack of sheets l2 to be contained in the binder. The free end of the flexible binding member H] has secured thereto a section l3 provided with a head [4 and a restricted neck portion I5. The section l3 may also be provided with a flange It, as shown in Figure 3, to facilitate compression of the sheets 12, if desired, but the presence of the flange i6 is not essential to the attainment of the advantages of the invention. The section 13 may be threaded into the free end of the binding member IE1 so that it is possible to screw a plurality of extension post sections (not shown), of conventional design, to the binding member and then screw the section E3 to the outermost extension post section to provide abinder of greater capacity than the regular length of chain alone will permit.

The binder has a top cover member which includes a cover I1 and a top tubular clamping member I 8 hingedly connected thereto. The ends of the tubular clamping member l8 are closed by means of end caps l9. The bottom wall of the member I8 is provided with a pair of circular apertures 20 (Figure 3) large enough to receive the heads I4 of the sections I3 of the binding members I0. The top clamping member is provided with an elongated aperture 2| in its top wall for a purpose hereinafter described. When the clamping member [8 is covered with leather, fabric or similar material, it is preferable to provide a flanged metallic eyelet 22 to protect the edges of the covering material adjacent the 9 aperture 21 and to give the clamping member 18 a finished appearance.

A slide 23 is positioned within the tubular clamping member I8. The slide is slightly shorter than the clamping member to allow for a limited longitudinal movement of the slide. A plurality of flanges 24 of substantially the same height and Width as the inside height and width of the tubular clamping member is prevents any vertical or lateral movement of the slide. A button 25 is affixed to the slide 23 in registration with the aperture 2| to facilitate longitudinal movement of the slide. Although any suitable type of button may be used, I prefer a non.-

protruding button because then the binder may 4 be handled on a highly polished surface without danger of marring the finish. The button 25 is preferably provided with a recess 26 that may be engaged by a pencil or similar article to move the slide. shown) used to manipulate the screw 8' may be inserted in the aperture 26 to move the slide 23.

The slide 23 is provided with a pair of keyhole shaped apertures 21, the large portions of which are adapted to register with the apertures If desired, one end of the key (not 20 when the slide 23 is in open position. When the slide is moved to closed position the restricted portion of the aperture 21 engages the restricted neck portion 15 of the member I3 to prevent vertical movement of the top clamping member l8 relative to the head of the binding member Ill. The slide 23 is provided with a pair of upstanding flanges 28 positioned adjacent the open end of the restricted portion of each of the apertures 21. The flanges 28 are adapted to lie between the head I4 of the binding member and the large portion of the aperture 21, so that when the binding member ID is tightened against the contents of the binder, the head l4 cannot clear the top of the flanges 28 and longitudinal movement of the slide is absolutely prevented. When the binding members are loosened the heads [4 are able to pass over the flanges 28 so that the top cover member may be removed.

In chain post binders such as described in my prior patent hereinabove referred to, it has been necessary to turn a key operated screw to operate the slide in the top clamping member. Accordingly, when it is desired to provide means to lock the binder against unauthorized manipulation, as disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 816,915 issued April 3, 1906 to William G. Jones, two separate locks have been required. With my improved construction, a single lock protecting the end 7 of the screw 8 is sufllcient to prevent loosening of the flexible binding members or removal of the top cover member.

The slide 23 is provided with an aperture 29 and an integral pilot arm 30 spaced above the aperture. The free end of the pilot arm 33 rests in a notch in an upturned wall 3| integral with the tubular clamping member IS. A coiled spring 32 mounted on the pilot arm 30 between the wall 3| and the end of the pilot arm integral with the slide 23 exerts a constant force against the slide to urge the 'slide towards closed position. The slide 23 is provided with a pair of flanges 33 spaced from the top wall of the tubular clamping member 18. The tubular clamping member I 8 has a flat spring 34 secured to the underside of its top wall in any suitable manner. The spring 34 has a tongue 35 adapted to overlie the aperture 21 and a pair of detents 36 adapted to engage against the edges of the flanges 33 when the slide 23 is moved to open position to hold the slide in open position as shown in Figure 2. The slide 23 will remain in open position as long as the top cover member is separated from the head M of the binding member. As soon as the head 14 is inserted through the aperture 21 it engages the tongue 35 and moves the detents 36 from holding position. Movement of the detents from holding position causes the spring 32 to automatically move the slide to closed position.

It will be seen that I have provided a loose leaf binder in which the top cover member may be locked against removal or may be retained securely in place while being readily removable. During the day while the binder is being referred to frequently, the binding members l0 may be kept slightly loosened, and the top cover member may be removed by moving the slide 23 and may be securely attached to the binding members by simply snapping the top cover member over the heads M of the binding members. When it is desirable to prevent removal of the top cover member it is necessary only to tighten the binding members I!) against the contents of the binder.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the

bottom cover member includes a cover 31 and a tubular clamping member 38 hingedly connected thereto in any suitable manner. The ends of the tubular clamping member are closed by means of a pair of end caps 39. The top wall of the tubular clamping member is apertured, as indicated at 40. A stud 4| is secured to the bottom wall of the tubular clamping member in any suitable manner and projects through the aperture 40. The stud 4| is threaded, as indicated at 42, to receive an internally threaded rigid binding member 43.

The binding member 43 is provided with a head 44 and .a restricted neck portion similar to the head l4 and neck l5 of the flexible binding member of Figures l-3. The sheet holding portion of the binding member 43 is of uniform cross sectional area. The lower portion of the binding member may be threaded downwardly until it abuts the bottom wall of the tubular clamping N member. This structure allows for adjustment equal to the thickness of the tubular clamping member 38 while maintaining the uniform cross sectional area of the sheet holding portion of the binding member.

In View of the fact that the binding member 43 cannot be tightened against the contents in the same manner as the flexible binding member IQ, it is not possible to lock the top cover member against removal as in the case of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-3. Accordingly, the flanges 28 are omitted from the slide in the top clamping member. Otherwise the structure of the top cover member is an exact duplicate of the structure of the top cover member illustrated in Figure l. The various parts of the top cover member in Figure 3 are designated by the same reference numerals used to designate the same parts in Figure 1. It is not deemed to be necessary to repeat the detailed description of this structuref Although I have described two embodiments of my invention in detail, it will be understood that the description therof is illustrative rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described, except as limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a lose leaf binder, a pair of cover members, a plurality of binding members secured to one of said cover members, means to tighten said binding members against the contents of the-binder, a slidable locking member in said other cover member, means adapted to actuate said slidable locking member automatically upon engagement of said second mentioned cover member with said binding members to lock said second mentioned cover member to said binding members, and means to prevent movement of said slidable locking member to open position when said binding members are held tightly against the contents of the binder.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of cover members, a plurality of binding members secured to one of said cover members, a slide positioned within said other cover member, said slide being adapted to engage said binding members to lock said cover members against separation, means for moving said slide to open position to permit disengagement of said second mentioned cover member from said binding members, and a spring detent for holding said slide in open position.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a cover member, a plurality of headed binding members secured to said cover member, a second cover member, a slidable locking member positioned in said second cover member and adapted to engage said headed binding members, and means to hold said locking member in open position while said second cover member is disengaged from said headed binding members, said means being released upon engagement of said second cover member with one of said headed binding members.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of cover members, a plurality of binding members secured to one of said cover members, a slide positioned within said other cover member, said slide being adapted to engage said binding members to lock said second mentioned cover member against separation from said binding members, means for moving said slide to open position to permit disengagement of said second mentioned cover member from said binding members, and means for holding said slide in open position, said last mentioned means being moved from holding position upon engagement of said binding members with said second mentioned cover member.

5. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of cover members, a plurality of binding members secured to one of said cover members, means to tighten said binding members against the contents of the binder, slidable locking means positioned in said other cover member, means to move said locking means to open position, a detent to hold said locking means in open position, one of said binding members being adapted to disengage said detent when said second mentioned cover member is engaged with said binding members, and means to prevent movement of said locking means to open position when said binding members are held tightly against the contents.

6. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of tubular clamping members, a binding member secured to one of said clamping members, said binding member having a head at its free end and a restricted neck portion adjacent said head, a slide in said other clamping member having a keyhole shaped aperture, the large portion of which is adapted to receive said head, and the restricted portion of which is adapted to engage the restricted neck portion of said binding member after said head has been inserted in said aperture, a projection on said slide lying between said binding member and the large portion of said keyhole aperture when the binding member is engaged by the restricted portion of said aperture, and means to force said head against said slide so that opening movement of said slide is prevented by said projection.

'7. In a loose leaf binder, a binding member adapted to project above the contents of the binder, a cover member having an aperture in which the uppermost portion of said binding member is adapted to be positioned, a slidable locking member in said cover, and means to hold said locking member in open position, said binding member being adapted to move said last mentioned means from holding position when its uppermost portion is inserted in said cover.

8. In a loose leaf binder, a headed binding member projecting above the contents of the binder, a cover member in which the head of said binding member is adapted to be positioned, a locking member in said cover, means to hold said looking member in open position, said holding means being released by said binding member when said head is positioned in said cover, and means for automatically moving said locking member into locking engagement with said binding member When said holding means is released.

9. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of cover members, a plurality of binding members secured to one of said cover members, a slide within said other cover member, said slide bein engageable with said binding members to lock said cover members against separation, spring means for normally urging said slide toward locking position, and means to hold said slide in open position against the action of said spring, one of said binding members being adapted to engage said last mentioned means to release it from holding position when said second mentioned cover is positioned on said binding member.

PAUL O. UNGER.

positioned 

